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Students and alumni share ideas in a discussion on work-life balance at the inaugural Impact Smeal Day, held on Nov. 15.

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Impact Smeal Day connects alumni with students, each other

December 17, 2013

Impact Smeal Day connects alumni with students, each other

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Last month, the Penn State Smeal College of Business Alumni Society Board hosted its inaugural Impact Smeal Day, an event designed to connect alumni, students and faculty through a full day of activities in the Business Building.

With about 70 alumni attendees, members of the Smeal community came together in sessions on industry trends, faculty research, career development and much more. The event also provided an opportunity for alumni mentors to return to campus and meet with their student protégés.

“One of the event’s main goals is to encourage dialogue between alumni and students,” said Timmy Garde, a 1978 accounting graduate and member of the Smeal Alumni Society Board, who took part in the day’s events.

"Impact Smeal Day is a great way for alumni to see what Smeal students are all about.”

-- Timmy Garde, Smeal Alumni Society Board member

This engagement gives students a much-appreciated opportunity to tap into the alumni network’s knowledge base, said Marissa Presser, a 2013 marketing graduate.

An ex-officio member of the board this year, Presser said, “I had the privilege of attending several Smeal Alumni Society Board meetings as a student. I built relationships with many of the board members and enjoy seeing them, hearing their stories and learning from their experiences.”

But it’s beneficial for alumni too, said Garde: “The students are really smart. Impact Smeal Day is a great way for alumni to see what Smeal students are all about.”

Throughout the day, alumni also participated CandidCareer filming sessions. CandidCareer is a tool for current students to review short informational videos of alumni discussing their careers. In the video, alumni answer a series of questions about their job and offer career advice.

The Impact Smeal Day agenda closed with the Smeal Alumni Society Board Open Meeting. The Smeal Alumni Society is an impactful way for alumni to stay involved with Smeal and give back to the college in ways that tangibly improve current students’ experiences. Membership on its board of directors is by election or dean appointment, but the group holds biannual open meetings that can be attended by all Smeal Alumni Society members.

The next Impact Smeal Day is set for March 28. For more information on that and other events, as well as lifelong learning webinars for alumni, visit www.smeal.psu.edu/alumni/events.